Preparing my Spider 2000 for the Track

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Simon
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Re: Preparing my Spider 2000 for the Track

Post by Simon »

I does indeed seem to be a nicely fabricated bit of kit. I will put a link up as requested.
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Simon
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Re: Preparing my Spider 2000 for the Track

Post by Simon »

Well, my new wheels arrived a couple of days ago and I left them with my local tyre fitter on Friday to sort the tyres out for this morning. I wanted a period look and am on a tight budget so Cromadoras were off the agenda, but after some indecision I finally went for 7x13" Minilite replicas with 205 60 series tyres.

I was also keen to check all the panel gaps with the car back sitting back on its wheels. Thanks to the roll cage all the gaps remained reassuringly consitent once it was off the dollies and lowered to the ground.
New wheels bolted up
New wheels bolted up
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Seeing that the sun put in an appearnce I moved it outside and dusted it off. There's nothing like daylight for inspecting bodywork.
Out in the sunshine on new wheels.
Out in the sunshine on new wheels.
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I am reasonably happy with all the panels now so it will soon be time for the final preparation for paint. I still need to order up the various window seals to check make up the final templates for the side and rear windows then all the panels can come off again for paint.
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Rallyroller
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Re: Preparing my Spider 2000 for the Track

Post by Rallyroller »

Hi Simon

Good looking wheels. What spec are they ( 98 PCD,? Offset? 13" ?). They look to have have a reasonable offset. Are you using spacers?

I am looking at something similar for my rally spider project. They will be 6" though due to regs and tyre sizes.

Must meet up. Same roll cage, radiator, wheels? (or perhaps there are only certain solutions to some problems?
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Simon
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Re: Preparing my Spider 2000 for the Track

Post by Simon »

Hi Rallyroller,

Your rally project looks very interesting, I'm afraid I've not had chance to read through it all yet, but there is some great work going on there. I think you definitely have a tougher build than me as yours is a pukka rally machine and you have to worry about all the historic regs! I've heard of some nightmare arguments regarding what you can and can't do from the guys in our club (Loughborough) who run historics. You should definitely get extra points for not going the usual 'by the numbers' Escort route! I'll definitely be out to see you on the stages when you get it finished. I'd love to see it on Mull!

Mine's really just a fun way to recycle my old Spider and is really nothing like an Abarth or even a 'replica'. It's just my nod to the Abarth rally machines of the past. The aim is just to have a nice tidy and interesting car that I can use for trackdays and our evening club events etc.

The wheels are 4x98 13"x7" with a -7 ET from Midland Wheels. They had the deep dish I was after for my arches and were pretty cheap (£78 inc VAT each) but the quality looks reasonable (not that you can tell much about the material, time will tell) I haven't needed spacers, and with 205/60's they are close to the standard arch lip which I still need to trim back a tad. The wheels are also a bit tight on the spigot, probably due to the new paint. Minilite can supply the genuine article for around £125 a wheel, so might be worth checking out for your rally machine.
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Simon
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Re: Preparing my Spider 2000 for the Track

Post by Simon »

Well, the Easter break was a chance to move forward with the bodywork, so I put the car back on dollies so I can move it about. After a bit more fettling of panels and gaps I decided it was as good as it was going to get without applying a uniform coat of filler to highlight the body lines etc. So I removed the roof, bonnet and boot lid and had a general tidy up, and vacuumed up the worst of the debris from the shell. Next I degreased all the panels and applied a light guide coat to ensure I wouldn't miss any bits of sanding before the spray filler. I then sanded the entire body with 240 grit ensuring that all the guide coat was removed, and attacked any bare metal patches with 80 grit to ensure the filler would adhere. After masking up and a final degrease I applied a coat of spray polyester filler, building up thicker layers where necessary to fill low spots and body lines that require redefining when sanded. I had a couple of 'moments' when the lid of the spray gun popped off whilst angling it to shoot the wing inner edges (note the two big splats on the masking!), but its given me a bit of a boost to see the shell all one colour again!
Guide coat to ensure all surfaces get sanded
Guide coat to ensure all surfaces get sanded
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Guide coat sanded off and starting the masking up
Guide coat sanded off and starting the masking up
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First coat of polyseter spray filler
First coat of polyseter spray filler
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WhizzMan
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Re: Preparing my Spider 2000 for the Track

Post by WhizzMan »

Good progress! The lines look good on these pictures.

Make sure you "seal" quickly now. Any moisture built up in the filler will be able to react with the metal underneath. My personal favorite is to put a 2 component epoxy primer on in this stage, but everyone has his own working method. Just keep in mind that filler is usually something where moisture is very happy to stay in so keep it sealed on the outside, or keep a boundary layer in between the metal and the filler if you keep the filler exposed to air for a longer period of time. Any water used for cleaning/sanding should be "baked" out before adding paint/sealant as well.
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Simon
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Re: Preparing my Spider 2000 for the Track

Post by Simon »

Thanks WhizzMan, the lines are pretty good in terms of alignment but they were not as crisp as I'd like due to the various layers of paint added over the years. I take your point on the moisture problem too, which was one of the reasons I didn't go right back to bare metal except where necessary, so actually the filler layer is almost totally on a paint layer. I've also invested in some IR paint heaters.

Last weekend I spent several hours flatting and sharpening up the body lines, particularly along the top edges of the front wings. I used a guide coat to show up low spots and lines of masking tape to give me line to sand to. The body is now almost ready for primer, but I still have the roof, bonnet, boot and lower quarter panels to complete to this stage.
'Guide coat' applied
'Guide coat' applied
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Body lines had become very ill defined on top of the wings.
Body lines had become very ill defined on top of the wings.
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Masking tape used as a guide.
Masking tape used as a guide.
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Stopper applied to low spots
Stopper applied to low spots
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Simon
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Re: Preparing my Spider 2000 for the Track

Post by Simon »

The extra day off yesterday for the Bank Holiday gave me three straight days to crack on with the bodywork. After a bit of final trimming and finishing of the arch lips and other fettling activities I gave the flatted polyester filler coat a good baking with the IR heater drive off any moisture. It was then time to remove the doors and re-mask for the first primer coats. Having inspected the primer coats this evening I am pretty happy with the shape and definition of the body lines and there only appears to be a few little pin holes to be filled with stopper. A good run at it next weekend should see some colour go on, although I am still deliberating the detail of my take on an Olio Fiat inspired colour scheme.

Pictures:
Baking the first primer coats
Baking the first primer coats
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Right shape, but not the right colour yet!
Right shape, but not the right colour yet!
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TomLouwrier
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Re: Preparing my Spider 2000 for the Track

Post by TomLouwrier »

hi Simon,

Making good progress and getting a good result too.
I like the way your pictures show the light lines along the body, which is what you brought back into its shape.
Apart from that: the contrast and colours in pic 6449 and 6454 are pretty artistic in their own right. Nice!

regards
Tom
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cos
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Re: Preparing my Spider 2000 for the Track

Post by cos »

Olio Fiat , blue and yellow? that will be fantastic. Can't wait to see that done. Don't forget to take photos!
Guy Croft
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Re: Preparing my Spider 2000 for the Track

Post by Guy Croft »

Really looking 'the business'.

Immutable rule of racing though, beware: "make the car look too beautiful and you are sure to crash".

Soon as it's finished get some dirt on it, mess it up a bit, chase away the bad Karma.

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WhizzMan
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Re: Preparing my Spider 2000 for the Track

Post by WhizzMan »

Impressive! I hope you won't make it too pretty and decide not to race it.
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Simon
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Re: Preparing my Spider 2000 for the Track

Post by Simon »

Don't worry Guy it will definitely be getting dirty - its first outing will probably one of the club's grass autotests!

Another productive weekend has seen more priming, stopping and rubbing down followed by the first colour coats . There are a few little wiggles in the lines but it's sharp enough for what will be track/fun car. I really need to get the doors and other panels to this stage next, before a rub down with 1000 grade and the final topcoat. Then mask up for the yellow sections.

Cos: As you can see I'm not going for the authentic dark blue/yellow Olio Fiat scheme but something similar in satin black and gloss signal yellow. It currently has a bit of a 'stealth fighter' look about it!
First satin black colour coats 1
First satin black colour coats 1
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First satin black colour coats 2
First satin black colour coats 2
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Simon
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Re: Preparing my Spider 2000 for the Track

Post by Simon »

I'm not entirely sure which posts and images were lost during the server update but things have moved on a bit since then anyway. So here's what I've been up to...

Final coats of satin black wen on a few weeks ago. The roof, bonnet and boot lid are still raw gelcoat and need a bit more fettling. The bonnet in particular will need a bit of work as I've not yet decided what sort of venting to implement - probably a couple of large lateral slots sunk into the rear of the bulges.
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Doors painted a few days later
Doors painted a few days later
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I spend a few nerve wracking evenings fitting and aligning the doors; their length and action of the hinges make it all too easy to end up with the leading edge binding on the front wing as you are opening and closing them whilst making seemingly tiny adjustments. I decided to do this before applying the yellow sections of the livery so that I could get all the lines to marry up. I also decided to do this with the car back on its wheels to be sure the shell was stressed as it should be. I know the cage holds it all rigid bit I've found that even very small changes in the door apertures can affect the fit of the door. Having said that the door gaps remained the same as when it on the dollies supporting the shell on the jacking points. I did fit the door handles but they really deserve some new seals as the originals are very hard and mis-shapen. The rear light gaskets are the same, so an order to Spiderpoint would appear to be on the cards.

Last weekend I also prepped and primered the new sill covers and did another trial fit just to be sure they still fitted before they get the yellow top coat. These are actually polyurethane items for Spiderpoint - lightweight, no rust and cheaper than aluminium.
Happy with the shut lines now.
Happy with the shut lines now.
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I gave the roll cage another rub down and a coat of satin black hammerite applied by brush.
I gave the roll cage another rub down and a coat of satin black hammerite applied by brush.
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The next job will probably be the dash, as I need to get that fitted before fitting the windscreen frame.
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WhizzMan
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Re: Preparing my Spider 2000 for the Track

Post by WhizzMan »

Those high gloss deep dish wheels really make it a stunning car already. Are you keeping those on?
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